Ford Flex Spring Drive – The Experience

We were unable to take a mini-vacation during the Spring Break Drive, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me from experiencing the Ford Flex! I used every excuse to go somewhere and when my husband needed to go to Dallas to pick up a truck, I jumped at the chance.

Most cars are comfortable for driving to and from the store and running local errands, but what about extended trips? The Flex impressed me! After a four-hour trip I was able to hop out of the car without back or leg pain. My tailbone was fine. My neck and back were free of kinks. I don’t remember the last time I drove to Dallas and back without feeling like a semi-truck hit me somewhere along the way!

In addition to comfortable seating, the Ford Flex includes lots of small details to make your travel experience great:

The Flex has ten cup/bottle holders! Now you have room for the Starbucks and the water bottle.

Each passenger has control of their own personal book-reading or map light.

There are map pockets on the backs of the front seats.

The ambient lighting in the front foot areas, in the front console’s cup-holders, and in the back of the front console is programmable to match your tastes!

And, my favorite small detail is the foot rest for the driver’s left foot! I have knee problems and often the odd angle at which my leg rests while driving causes pain. In the Flex I could prop it up and enjoy a pain-free drive!

Spring time in Texas provides a wide variety of weather. In one week’s time I was able to test both the air conditioning and the heat in the Ford Flex! (It wasn’t quite cold enough to try the heated seats, but I sure was tempted!) The climate controls were very easy to use and the car heats and cools quickly. I felt confident that my little boy was just as comfortable as I was because of the rear auxiliary climate control system.

When it comes to sound, I’m a huge fan of Sony, so I was really excited to see the Ford Flex included a Sony sound system! Whether listening to music from your iPod via the Bluetooth connection or the audio input port, or watching a movie, you’re going to get the highest quality sound available.

Being a geeky sort of girl, I couldn’t wait to try out the Microsoft SYNC System. My first goal was to connect my cell phone via Bluetooth. I found the process very simple and self explanatory. In less than 2 minutes my phone was connected, set as a favorite device, and my contacts and call history were imported. Next, I needed to get my music playing! The SYNC system works wirelessly with all your Bluetooth enabled media devices.

I don’t have an iPod, but I do store and listen to music on my Samsung Instinct phone. Because my phone was already connected for calls, all I had to do was start playing music on my phone, then access the media screen on the SYNC system. From there I could control the volume and switch songs.

To show how easy it is to use the SYNC system’s hands-free calling, I’ve made a video of me calling my friend, Nikki, from TheGuiltyParent.com. (In the first clip I got her answering machine, so I tried again another day, which explains my change in appearance.)

Pumping gas into the Ford Flex is a dream! With the Easy Fuel™ capless fueling, it’s faster and cleaner, and you don’t have to worry about losing the cap! I really enjoyed not having to unscrew a gas cap and spending the rest of the afternoon smelling gasoline on my hands. I was also pleased to experience the Flex’s outstanding fuel efficiency: 18.9 miles per gallon! (my average) For an SUV of its size, the Flex’s range of 17-24mpg is unsurpassed.

The HID Headlamps and LED tail lights were amazing at night! The road in front of me stayed well-lit and the lights seemed much clearer than traditional headlamps which cast a yellowish tint on everything.

There are just too many great features to name them all, let alone try them all in a week’s time. The moment the Ford Fleet gentleman pulled away from my driveway, I was kicking myself for not taking more pictures, not getting around to playing with the ambient lighting, or trying more on the SYNC System.

In a word, the Ford Flex is Impressive. Everything about this vehicle reflects the thought and hard work Ford put into making the Flex their best crossover-SUV!

Thank you, Ford and 5 Minutes for Mom, for giving me the opportunity to experience the Ford Flex. I feel honored to have worked with you all and I am so excited to share my experience here at 5M4M!

About Erica Mueller

A web developer and tech blogger, Erica can be found talking WordPress and tech gadgets at EricaSays.com and offering WordPress and Graphic Design services at TechnoMomDesigns.com. She also owns MomPrepares.com, a blog dedicated to encouraging women to prepare their families for life's unexpected twists and turns.
Erica resides in north east Texas with her husband and 2 sons.Follow Erica on Twitter.

Comments

I don’t have any plans to change our car any time soon but it’s nice to keep abreast of what’s on the market. Now I’ll nip over and check out Erica as I have a bit of a greenish post tomorrow myself.
Cheers